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Thank God for Google and a Screwdriver

The washers and dryers in my apartment complex are the
devil. I’m not even kidding.

You can put something in and hit cold water, and it comes
out the size of American Girl Doll Clothing.. Kirsten style. She was always my
favorite.

Anyways that’s just the start of it. If clothes can shrink
on delicate in the washer.. even after surviving freshman year in the dorm's
washers and dryers -- then there is something massively wrong with the world.

Don’t even get me started on the dryers that are so hot,
your sheets come out smelling like singed hair and wet dog. No, I’m not joking. I only wish that I was.

So needless to say, I have to use my bathtub to do a lot of
my delicate laundry, and this turns into quite the feat when you have as many
clothes as I do.

Anyways.. As I’m soaking my sweaters, I realize that the
water keeps looking a little low. I shrug it off and go about doing my other
chores around my apartment. I go back into the bathroom and all the water has drained
out of the tub without my knowledge. I fill it back up, and do another small
load. Again it empties. Ughhh fine I’ll just put some Saran wrap over the
drain, that’ll do the trick. It held for a little, but continued to drain.

What the bleep is wrong with you - devil bathtub?

Being an engineer's daughter, I must find out what is causing this problem.
I get out my screwdriver and unscrew the drain-trapper-thingy. Oh for the love
of.. EWWW.. hair and conditioner that’s aged for centuries and turned into
putrid slime covers the screw. Bleck. Bleck. Bleck.

I wash it all off and pour some Drano down the drain for
good measure..

Then comes the googling. “Why is my tub draining even when
it shouldn’t be??”

Ahh haw! It must be the linkages inside the wall.. so now I
have to unscrew the other part of the bathtub. Okay I can do that... I now sound like a plumber. Thank you Google.

So I get my screwdriver ready, and begin to lean under my clothes that are hang-drying, and dripping water.. when I say DRIPPING water, I mean giant
globules of H2O. Not miniscule raindrops. Fricken monsoon.

Hmm.. Good thing I live in Oregon. I go and get my rain
jacket and put it on. Kneeling down in the tub, with my rain jacket on, my hood
up, and screwdriver in hand, I realize at this very moment that there is a
reason I am single.

I’m just so damn handy, I don’t need no man. All kidding
aside, I retreat to unscrewing the lever like it’s my job.

I pry the plate off, pull the linkages up, and the weight is
still attached. Great. Nothing is wrong. Why the bleep did I take this apart in the first place?

Maybe because a nice long bubble bath would be nice every once in awhile you know?

But let me tell you… the metal was brown and blue and the smell
coming from the depths below was straight up putrid, my friend.

Nothing was wrong. Nothing. So now I have to screw the stupid
thing back on and wash my hands of conditioner slime and old disgusting hair that's probably not even mine. I shiver to think.

There really is no moral to this story. Nothing learned - except that I have too much time on my hands and maybe a little ADD.

At least it’s perfect training for when I own my own home
some day.. maybe.

Anyways.

Hope your weekend was better than mine.

I have another horrible date update in the works. Not as bad
as the first date I shared, but just as awkward.

Did I mention I also really love putting together killer fall outfits? Whoa.. that was a weird segue. Don't mind my ADD. Fall does that to me.

Anyways.. My friends and I went to the Pumpkin Patch on Saturday and it was quite humorous. I grew up in the country so it's always funny seeing loads of people trekking out into the middle of nowhere to experience the open spaces and the simple peacefulness that it brings.

The humor comes in the fact that all of my friends unknowingly wore flannel.. without planning it, we all were decked out in plaid and looking very fall-esque.

We get to the pumpkin patch and my friends and I are wandering around looking for our soul-mate pumpkins. Yup, I made that up. Isn't it true though? You wait for the perfect Punkin to call out your name -- "Paige, Pick meeee!" -- The ones that really call out to us.. Don't lie. You do it too.

Meanwhile, one of my friends picks up her pumpkin and begins to say, "I just took a selfie with my Pumpkin you guys!" Hahaa we all bust up laughing. Thanks Snap-Chat and technology for taking pumpkin patches to the next level.

These crazy looking pumpkins have little muffin-tops. They made me giggle.

Meanwhile, my friends are collecting mini-pumpkins like it's the last day of Nordstrom's Anniversary sale. Just one more. Just one more. Their boyfriends just roll their eyes, nod and smile obediently.

After the patch.. Doesn't that sound so bad-ass? Meet me at the patch! .. No? Okay.. Cool.

After that little adventure.. we had dinner and drinks at McMens (McMennamins for all those unfamiliar). The food was delish as always. I had their cajun tots (to die for.. literally) and a caesar salad. SO good.

We all talked about our favorite Halloween movies and joked about how they show Harry Potter during Halloween and During Christmas time too.. all because of one snowy scene. Happy Christmas, Arry!

anddddd SEGUE.

Also.. My Mom came to visit on Sunday. So naturally we end up at Target.

And sometimes things get real weird. It's okay. I know this beard compliments my outfit. You don't have to tell me.

Also, because I couldn't get enough of Pumpkin Patches obviously... I told you I'm straight up OBSESSED. I dragged my mom, willingly I might add, to Roloff Farms because it's close enough we just had to go.

Anywho.. As we were leaving, Matt Roloff whizzes by us on his little golf cart/ gator thingy and he asks us if we are finding parking okay. He talked to us! My Mom like fan-girled for a second, smiled real big and said "YAH we're good! Thanks!!"

It was actually pretty awesome.. My Dad and I are slightly in love with the show Little People Big World. I immediately shoot my Dad a text with this image and he texts me back "Get his autograph!!" oops.. sorry Dad. A little too late.

Needless to say, their property is gorgeous, and I fell in love with the barn that Matt Roloff's older son got married in.

Weddings & Memories

My friend Morgan got married this weekend. Her dress was GORGEOUS and she looked so classy and elegant. We were in the same sorority together (Shout out to Kappa Delta). She married her high school sweetheart and I couldn't be happier for her.

The table decorations were simple, and the industrial building was extraordinary. The bay windows lead way to the Portland city skyline, and I found myself gazing out the windows at a few of the famous PDX bridges while the world spun on, cars drove fast, and the sunset revealed the prettiest cotton candy pinks and purples I've ever laid eyes on. Needless to say, it really put things into perspective for me. Weddings and get togethers with friends have a funny way and making you re-examine your life.

{{Taking secret selfies so you can remember this moment later on.. and because whoever invented SnapChat was a super genius and I wish I had thought of it myself.}}

{{I didn't want to take my hair out after that night. It turned out so perfect. I loved it! Tutorial on my YouTube channel if you're interested }}

It's funny to me that just a year ago - I was learning (and fumbling) my way through the real world with my first real job, freshly out of college, going through a disastrous break-up, and thinking that my life was complete crap. There's few times in life when I look back and I think about everything that's ever happened to me. Do you have moments like that? It's so emotionally draining, and I don't suggest dragging up every helpless memory that you can think of, but I do it more often than I should.

Anyways.. last year really truly was one of my "Rock Bottoms" in life. I would say I've hit rock bottom twice, maybe three times in my life but that was definitely one of them.

I look at my life in perspective now, and I am so much happier, and so much healthier than I was a year ago.

It's still difficult every day, but I know that it's better than where I was a year ago... and for that - I am so thankful.

My job might not be my dream dream job, but hopefully, it will help me get to where I want to be some day.

Just look back to who you were a year ago and compare that to who you are today.. I can almost guarantee that you are not the same person you used to be, and with that -- I leave you with the strength to carry on and do the things you always dreamed of doing - because life is a gift and you never know what kind of a person you will be a year from now. Do something today that future you would be proud of and smile about.

Runners High

You know what's completely absurd? When I was in college.. well up until my senior year - I HATED running. Completely despised it. The thought of running on a treadmill or even outside scared me and bored me. I wouldn't even step foot on a treadmill because I knew I would be that girl that started running too fast and wouldn't be able to stop and the machine would fling me across the room.. Is that just me?! I don't think I actually ever saw that happen in my four years of college.. or even to this day - and I still don't know where that silly idea came from.

In high school, I was a Cheerleader and I played a little bit of tennis.. but neither of these "sports" included running very much, so I dreaded the thought of actually running until my senior year of college.

All of a sudden my mindset changed, I decided to start slow on the treadmill and soon, when the rainy Oregon weather subsided, I would lace up my sneakers and go for a run outside. The mixture of sunshine and sweat and pushing past that awful tightness in my lungs has helped me in more ways than one.

You see.. I figured out that running isn't just an exercise. It's a form a therapy. Seriously.

I challenge you - the next time you're having an awful day and nothing seems to be going right. Put on some comfy running clothes and buy yourself a great pair of sturdy running shoes that won't mess up your feet (I prefer asics) and just go.

Run. Run as fast as you can or as slow as you want and don't stop. Even when your lungs feel funny, and your brain says "Whoa whoa you need to stop you can't keep running" Just keep running.

When you're done, you'll sit down for a second and all of a sudden you'll feel this amazing rush of happiness and calmness wash over you. All of your troubles will be gone.

It's a reset button and it works pretty darn well if you ask me.

Also, it's even better when it's sunny and nice and you get to look at cool bridges while you run and blast The Real Slim Shady. You'll feel like a complete badass, and that's pretty cool.

If you're lucky enough to live in the city, you'll even have bums that yell at you and cheer you on. Not even joking about that one.

And hey.. I might not be the fastest runner or the most technical runner but I don't really care. I just strap on my shoes and go (Okay.. I lace them up.. but you get the idea). With a great playlist, great shoes, and a will to keep running -- you can accomplish anything.

Fall Is Here < 3

Did you know that it's officially fall? Did you know that it's officially October? What! Where the heck to September go? Where the heck did my summer go?

I'll go mourn the shorter days and my fading tan by sipping a PSL in my yoga pants. Don't judge.

As much as I'm sad about the sunshine leaving.. I'm SO beyond excited to wear boots again, and scarves, and watch Hocus Pocus on repeat. Amuck, amuck, amuck, amuck, amuck... uhhhh!

Come, little children..

Ok I'm done.

And with that.. I give you my fall baking skills. For the record, that is not how I meant for them to turn out. I literally spent a good hour sculpting those mother truckin' candy corn cookies to look exactly like the ones on the box. What I didn't account for was the fact that they blew up to 5x their size and looked like lava like turds. Not cool, Betty Crocker, Not cool.

At least they still tasted bomb!

This is me driving around on Sunday.. or was it Saturday? Good lord.. all my days are blending into one. Anywhoo.. sometimes I try to be daring and not use my GPS. OR sometimes said GPS decides to crap-out on me and I'm forced to drive around aimlessly until I recognize certain streets. Need I remind you I suck at directions?

Insert happy painting here ^^^ Sometimes I get these wild hairs and I decide to paint. I LOVE painting and it's so relaxing. I need to do it more often!

Insert shameless selfie... I loved my little outfit today. Sometimes I put together a killer outfit and some days it just annoys the heck out of me all day long. Today was comfy and cute. I was pleased.

My lights!! They came!! The guy in the office at my apartment building immediately goes to the back to grab my packages (whoa.. that came out much worse than I intended!) Hey.. Get your mind out of the gutter. Yah.. YOU!

Okay... What I meant was.. The guy that sits at the front desk at my apartment - he always knows that I order lots of things on the internets (No I don't really call it that.. that was a joke). Sheesh.

... He goes and gets my packages for me without me even asking. I know I know. I have a problem.

But my lights! Look how pretty! For my YouTube channel. I can't wait to use them!

Okay that's all for Wednesday. I hope your week is just fabulous. Cheers to hump day and almost fri-day.

About Me

a little blog to inspire and encourage you. Fashion. Fitness. Food.

I'm a fitness fiend and a foodie with a pinch of food sensitivities to work around. I love working out, running, traveling and all things fashion. Follow me along as I try to figure out what the heck I'm doing as a lost 20-something who loves Disney and would prefer to stay in Neverland.